Max Freeman, an ex-cop from Philadelphia, lives in the Florida Everglades in an old research shack. His reason for being a recluse is that he shot a young kid in self-defense on the streets of Philadelphia ,and he can’t seem to get it out of his head. His neck wound is a constant reminder of that day. Paddling down the river in his canoe, Max spots the fourth kid to turn up dead in a series of killings. The police suspect him at first, and the killer seems to have it in for Max as well. The book is carefully plotted mystery, and I enjoyed his flashbacks to his days on the force in Philadelphia. These stories help built his character, but we really don’t get much of his personality. He’s just an average Joe caught in the middle of things.